Buggy-top.



No. 799,439.` PATBNTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

C. BBVILL.

BUGGY TOP.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 18.1905.

l 1765565: DVGD Of I l l x Httomegs UNiTnn STATES PATENT orrion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application le, February 18, 1905. Serial No. 246,264.

T0 all whom, it Netty concern:

Be it known that I, GHEvEs BEVILL, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Winfield, in the-county of Scott and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Buggy-Top, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to buggy-tops.

The objects of the invention are to simplify the construction and materially lighten the frame of the top, to facilitate raising and lowering of the top, and to improve the means by which the top is held in raised position.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a buggy-top, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure l is a view in perspective of a bu ggy-top constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a. view in side elevation, exhibiting the top folded down. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a part of the front and middle bow, exhibiting the manner in which the parts are interlocked or connected to hold the top raised.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the front bow of the buggy-top; 2, the middle bow; 3, the rear bow; 4, the canopy or top, and 5 the back curtain. rlhe middle and rear bows may be of the usual or any preferred construction and are connected with the seat S by pivotbolts 6 and 7, which are herein shown as secured to the sides of the seat; but it is to be understood that, if preferred, the ordinary rail-irons may becombined with the seat, and to these the bows will be secured as usual. The middle and rear bows are both mounted upon the bolts 7 which are disposed adjacent to the front of the seat, while the front bow is pivoted upon the bolts 6, which are arranged near the rear of the seat, thereby causing the front bow to have a pronounced inclination toward the front of the seat, thus to bring the canopy i well over the seat for the purposes of protection.

Each of the bows 2 and is by preference constructed of a single continuous piece of metal, while the front bow 1 is constructed in three parts-a bow or bent portion Sand two armb 4members 9-pivotally connected with the bent portion by ordinary rule-joints l0, which break upwardly.

In order to hold the canopy distended, as shown in Fig. l, the members of the middle bow are provided with stops or catches 11, which are engaged by similar stops or catches 12, carried by the front bow, and when these catches are interlocked, as more particularly shown in Fig. 3, the top will be positively held against collapsing, the rear draft exerted by the canopy upon the front bar, due to the strain under which it is placed, serving to cause the catches positively to remain in engagement while the top is up. As shown in Fig. 1, the members of the front bar are disposed on the inside of the middle and rear bars; but, if preferred, this arrangement may be reversed and still be within the scope of the invention.

With the large buggy-tops, wherein four bows will be necessary, a supplemental or false bow 13 may be employed, which will be hinged at 14 intermediate of the ends of the rear bow. By the employment of this supplemental bow `an ordinary fourth bow, such as is usually'employed, will be dispensed with, thereby7 lightening the structure as a whole and reducing the cost of its production.

When the top is folded, as shown in Fig. 2, the front-section of the top,or that between the middle and front bows, will be folded over the back curtain, and thereby preclude the accumulation of dust and mud upon the back curtain. When the buggytop is to be raised, it will be only necessary to grasp the front section thereof and pull forward, whereupon the sections of the front bow will straighten out, and by interlocking the two catches in the manner described the body will be positively held in its adjusted position. When the buggy-top is to be lowered, it will only be necessary to grasp the front bow l and draw its members inward, whereupon the stops 11 and 12 will be thrown out of engagement with each other and the top be left free to drop back to the position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the improvements of this invention are simple in character they will be thoroughly effective for securing the objects sought and, moreover, that their adaptation to a buggy will n ot require any change in the structural arrangement of the latter.

Having thus described the invention, what 'is claimed is 1. A buggy-top having a front bow projecting upwardly over the seat, a middle bow IOO IIO

the rear portion of the seat, and locking de- Vices carried by the front and middle bow at their points of intersection and adapted for holding the front bow in operative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

CHEVES BEVILL. Witnesses:

JAMES O. JOHNSTON, WILLsoN A. HARRISON. 

